Transmogrified Tiger

Again, Neifi is either on the bench with Cedeno, which is stupid since they both play the same position(s), or competing with Cedeno for a starting spot, which is a dangerous dangerous thing. Cedeno shouldn't be starting unless we have big upgrades elsewhere, and Neifi shouldn't be starting at all. This is a waste, plain and simple.

Let's take a look at the situations here: Sign Furcal, keep Walker Neifi is redundant with Cedeno already around, bad move. Sign Nomar, keep Walker Same thing, you don't need two players for the same job, and you don't need to be signing one to a two year deal when the other is much younger, cheaper, and in all likelihood better. Sign Furcal/Nomar, trade Walker Now we have Cedeno and Neifi both vying for 2B. Uh-oh. Bad move. Sign no one, keep Walker Same thing, except at SS. Can't have those tailing throws messing things up. Sign Furcal/Nomar, keep Walker, trade Cedeno This is the only situation where Neifi isn't excessive, or at high-risk to be the everyday starter. How likely is this situation, and what are the odds keeping Neifi and trading Cedeno improves the team? This is a terrible, terrible move.

This sucks. I was willing to give Hendry the benefit of the doubt last season because of the Sosa debacle, but he's started this offseason out criminally bad.

I'll say Texas 24-0. kU has a great D, but their offense is terrible, and Texas has proven that it can put up some points on strong defenses(see O$U).

Or his 2001 season where he pitched nearly 200 innings with a 12-6 record that should have been more like 16-4 with any run support. Or his 2002 season where he pitched over 200 innings and should have been a 15 game winner with any run support. Or his 2003 season where he pitched over 200 innings and should have been a 15 game winner with any run support. Or the 2003 NLDS where he owned Atlanta. As for the 2003 NLCS, Dusty riding him the whole year (as he did prior) two of the highest pc/game may have had an effect on the burnout - but he certainly didn't pitch his best there i'll give you that. OR the fact that he has some of the filthiest stuff in the majors. But I guess we can go on saying he worthless other than 20 K's in 1998. It makes more sense. Blah, blah, blah blah blah. Kerry Wood has DONE nothing in the majors but tantalize baseball with his enormious gift. But like Todd Van Poppel, Brien Taylor, Adam Johnson, etc....Kerry is a million dollar arm, .10 cent brain. I don't know how to nicely say this, but what you're saying is completely and unequivically incorrect. Wood has done plenty, his problem has been staying healthy. That problem has nothing to do with some mental deficiency(million dollar arm, 10 cent head is one of my most hated cliches), and there's really no evidence to support Wood being a "stupid" pitcher.

I'd say put it from the upper part of the shin/lowest part of the knee to just below the waist. Make it the width of the plate or maybe an inch or two wider.

As discussed in the Walker thread, Sizemore isn't going anywhere. He's about as available as David Wright. Crisp on the other hand, has been involved in past trade rumors, and would be an attractive candidate to play CF.

My personal fave is getting both Giles brothers and Bradley. Giles Bradley Lee Giles Ramirez Barrett Murton Nomar/Cedeno/trade target

What?! He spent less than a season in the minors. All he did was go through the paces. He was MLB ready out of college. I guess those 9 games in the minors "developed" him. Murton spent little over 1 season in our system to get to the major league club. So the Cubs get no credit for targeting players that need less development? no, they get credit. the scouts get a nice pat on the back. good job. but they didn't "develop" that talent. they just took what was already there. Identifying and developing talent are part of the system. In evaluating the system as a whole, like was being done in the original post, why wouldn't you include Murton and Prior?

Sure that's one way you could go about it, and I'm not saying that's bad at all. Hoops was talking about shying away from Bradley because of player cost, and I pointed out that it might not be necessary if he's non-tendered. I'd rather make sure I got him and give the Dodgers some of our bulk arms. Yeah, I'd probably rather do that too, I was just responding to the mindset that Hoops laid out.

Sure that's one way you could go about it, and I'm not saying that's bad at all. Hoops was talking about shying away from Bradley because of player cost, and I pointed out that it might not be necessary if he's non-tendered.

I think his point with Prior is he was the most major league ready SP prospect to come out of college in the last 50 yrs if not ever. Yeah, but you can't just take away from the system because they were smart enough to draft him, or smart enough to trade for Murton. If Murton doesn't count, then we should be allowed to count Brendan Harris, Dontrelle Willis, etc. well lets just count everyone that ever played 1 game in our system as "being developed by our system." No, but Willis spent more time in our system than Florida's before he was ready. I think if someone spends the majority of their development in the Cubs system, then they should be considered a Cubs product.

What?! He spent less than a season in the minors. All he did was go through the paces. He was MLB ready out of college. I guess those 9 games in the minors "developed" him. Murton spent little over 1 season in our system to get to the major league club. So the Cubs get no credit for targeting players that need less development?

I think his point with Prior is he was the most major league ready SP prospect to come out of college in the last 50 yrs if not ever. Yeah, but you can't just take away from the system because they were smart enough to draft him, or smart enough to trade for Murton. If Murton doesn't count, then we should be allowed to count Brendan Harris, Dontrelle Willis, etc.

Prior most certainly is. Murton spent about the same time in each of the two systems(including his MLB time), and he had his greatest success in our system too.

:?:

You think it's unrealistic to want an OPS over .840 and a IsoP of .200 out of a 5 hole guy?

This goes on to suggest the Dodgers wouldn't want much in return for Bradley, especially if they might non-tender him. The Cubs should be all over him. I like Bradley, and think Dusty can handle him. But we have to think like the Cubs: given a choice, you figure the Cubs would rather sign Kenny Lofton as a free agent than trade players/prospects for Milton Bradley. I hope not. And if Bradley is non-tendered, giving up players for Bradley is a non-issue.

Can TO & Ron Artest play OF? Sign them too, Jim! Baker's one remaining "strength" is supposedly the ability to keep a clubhouse together and keep guys like Bradley under control. If the player cost is Mitre or something like that, it's worth taking the chance. Besides, has Bradley ever had a problem with teammates? Jose Guillen wasn't even allowed on the postseason roster last year because of some falling out, then he went to Washington and people raved about how good a guy he was.

Incomprehensibly stupid on the Dodgers part if true. Please get Bradley, so we don't have to listen any more Lofton or Wilson rumors.

I don't think Carrie Muskat knows what she's talking about at all, when it comes to baseball, or about what the Cubs are going to do.

Lots of talk but not much action. With so little decided in free agency and such, I think the GM meetings are more the groundwork of all the action you'll see in Free Agency and the Winter Meetings.

Giving up Pie for Abreu, who's leaving his prime, wouldn't be sound. I'd try some other avenue short of giving him up. I agree. There's a difference in the comparison to the Choi-Lee trade. Lee was 28 when we acquired him, Abreu will be 32.

I agree. Both stadiums are significant, for different reasons. I'm not sure why anyone would try to make an argument otherwise. Then why are you perpetuating the argument for one side? On second thought, don't answer that. This topic needs to die.

That OPS is largely SLG-driven though, only a .336 OBP. However, it's not out of the question to see him with a BABIP around .290, which gives him a .290/.350/.500ish line. Solid, but I'd like to aim higher than Mench to start out with. Unless of course you acquire Mench, then use him or Murton as a chip in getting a better OF.